


And don't you dare to forget it darling.

by AbbieD_Arcy



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Hurt Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, Lazy Mornings, M/M, Morning Kisses, Protective Steve Rogers, Secret Marriage, Secret Relationship, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Wedding Rings, Worried Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-11-01 06:26:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17862065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbbieD_Arcy/pseuds/AbbieD_Arcy
Summary: "It had been a normal mission, like any of the countless others they had made, until something changed. "





	And don't you dare to forget it darling.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Risk_127](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Risk_127/gifts).



> Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Risk... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUU
> 
> Wise beyond her years, smart, intelligent, brave, and one hell of a fighter. This little fic is to remind you how awesome you are. You get angry on my behalf (like a lot of people in our group), you make me laugh and smile when the dark clouds are too thick.
> 
> I love you to the moon and back.
> 
> And I will hug the stuff outta you when I see you in Madrid.
> 
> Love you
> 
> Abbie
> 
> P.S. Mel helped ^^

It had been a normal mission, like any of the countless others they had made, until something changed. One scream, a twist too slow, a flash of red and gold in front of him…

God, Tony…

Grabbing his head, Steve tried to forget what had happened, that memory that haunted him. But he knew it was a futile effort as he was never going to forget the worry, the fear, and the utter terror of losing him.

He didn’t know how many hours he had spent on the waiting room, sitting on the cold floor. Still dressed on his suit only without his cowl; Steve was silent and quiet, blue eyes cold and paralyzing to anyone who asked him to move.

He was not moving. Not now.

He waited, silent and still, until he saw Bruce and Doctor Cho get out of the Med Bay; tiny smiles on their lips, and he allowed himself to let a breath he was holding since that scream…

Tony was alive. He was going to make it. He was going to be ok.

Steve didn’t bother at hiding how relieved and happy he felt, and Bruce saw it. The doctor saw his fear, his relief and how affected he was. It was strange… He looked like a wounded animal and bringing Tony to safety had been the only thing keeping him from lashing.

All the team had been injured before. Why was this time different?

“I’ll go to talk with the team, keep him company”

Quiet, silent, quick on his feet; Steve left them; not caring about the prognosis, not about what had they needed to take care of. Bruce smile meant everything was ok, that his “science bro” was alive and ok.

That Tony was going to be ok.

The sight in front of him nearly bought him to tears. Tony, lying, surrounded by wires and machines, his chest falling and rising softly. It was like he was just sleeping, like every other morning.

Just like early that morning…

…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---

Blue eyes opened, light filtering from the windows making him frown. It was late, later than his usual hour to wake up, so why…

The warm body against his was the answer. A mop of dark unruly hair, tanned skin, a hand with a silver glittering ring... His husband had something to do with it, he was sure.

Every day he felt the luckiest man alive. He had his family with him, he helped to protect the world, laughed with his brother in all but blood, enjoyed life with his team.

Loved his husband every day…

The same husband he felt moving, curling against his chest, ending up nearly on top of him. It was such an endearing sight… He was married to a truly amazing man…

Carefully he began to draw in his skin, tracing mindless patterns. In his chest, Tony’s ring shone with a dark gleam, the vibranium reflecting the morning light. He smiled, remembering the moment Tony had told him about changing the rings, about how even when they needed to be separated, to ignore each other they would carry a bit of each other right next to their heart.

Hiding their marriage was difficult, sometimes wishing they could have a normal relationship. Always hiding their marriage, always keeping secrets and masquerading to have some time alone… Luckily with the help of Bucky and Rhodey (best man of each other at their wedding) they got quite a lot of time to be together.

He smiled remembering how invested their “brothers” have been during their relationship. They have become their biggest supporters and protectors. They have been there for them since the first date (Rhodey had been the one who convinced Tony to ask him on a date), their first kiss (Bucky had smiled when he had told him how earth moving had been the goodnight kiss they shared a few minutes before), their first “I love you” (Rhodey had laughed his ass off when Tony told him, red even in his ears how Steve had whispered into his ear the three magic words while watching the stars after being stranded in a little cabin on the mountains during a mission) or their first time (which both of them took lots of pleasure pulling every single detail out of them)…

But even when the decision had been mutual, something they talked about during their marriage it never got easier to deal with the consequences of that choice. Too many enemies, too many whispers, too much hate.

Their marriage was no one business, but their own.

The two James had been the only ones presents on their wedding, groomsman’s and witness… The ones who helped them, that covered them... The ones who loved them enough to be their protectors.

A soft noise bought him back from his thoughts, finding himself trapped in a pair of sleepy dark chocolate eyes he knew very well…

“mrrning”

“Good morning to you too sweetheart”

Their kiss was just a brush of lips, but oh so sweet… Smiling against his lips, Tony moved and kissed him on the chin, making him laugh. He was still half asleep…

“Like your laugh…”

“You make me happy Tony.” He replied tangling their hands together, pressing a kiss to his hair. Honey and metal… All Tony.

“Like you happy” he yawned, looking at him with a smile in his still sleepy eyes. 

Without worrying, he kissed him again, this time pouring all the love he felt for the sleepy genius. He was the smile in his darkest days, his calm inside the storm, his partner inside and outside the battle.

He was the other half of his heart… even if no one (apart from their brothers) knew.

"Want to share the shower?"

"Uhmmmmmmm sounds nice"

…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---

He couldn’t believe that moment had happened only in the morning. They had been called into the mission; an easy mission. And now he laid there... so still…

“I suppose you will wake up early. If Bruce and Helen are not worried…” words poured, and he was unable to keep them locked inside his mind “You are an idiot… Why did you get between me and that shot? I heal quicker than you…”

He blinked, trying to keep the tears at bay. It was not the right moment. Not when he was guarding his husband. Not when he was weakened and vulnerable.

“You forgot to pick your ring today. Left it when you went to take your shower… Got it right next to mine” he smiled, talking softly “It’s strange to have my own ring with me… I’m so used at the gold that seeing the silver on the chain is weird. When you wake up I’ll put it on your finger, like the day we got married. And I’ll be glad to keep you on the workshop where I can keep you safe. “

He breathed deeply, trying to keep himself together. But he was not going to feel complete again. Not until those dark brown eyes were open and watching at him again.

“I know that you will do it again, even if I wish, foolishly you won’t. I tried over the years to get that promise from you, but… I know I would do the same for you. I guess that’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you, you are the most stubborn idiot I have ever met. And have the biggest and most loving heart I have ever…” A sob mingled with his words and stopped until he regained his breath again “When I saw you fall Tones, I felt like something died inside my chest. You are the reason why everyone thinks I’m so great. You make me be the best version of me… I need you with me until we are old and gray and I can still fall in love with you over our stupid bickerin…”

“Steve”

He stopped talking, frozen on the spot.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…

The whole team was watching them surprised, wide eyes after hearing confession no one should have heard. Only both James looked at them with their eyes filled with sorrow and worry; ready to jump on their defense.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

Fuck, Tony was going to be so pissed. He was pissed at himself…

Stupid idiot.

“If you are going to say something, say it now”

His voice was full of worry but had that hint of steel that was characteristic of the Captain. The team was going to be pissed, he knew that. But his partner was down, and he was going to keep him safe, even if he had to deal with the team on his own.

“Were you going to tell us at all?” Nat’s eyes were curious, trying to find something in his friend’s attitude.

“No”

Taken aback by the answer, the rest of the team went silent and stared; waiting. Steve sighed, his heart mixed… and started talking, this time his eyes glued to his husband.

“So many things could go wrong if everyone knew about us. Villains capturing one of us to get to the other, the media talking shit about how he got his spot on the team because of our relationship or how he is corrupting me. The board of Stark Industries trying to make him get an heir and the public saying whatever they want about us without knowing, hurting him. And you all would be in the middle trying to help us. But it was our decision.” His eyes were now ice cold, fixed in them, daring them to say anything. “So when Tony wakes up, don’t you dare to give him grief about this.”

“They will behave Stevie, of that I’m sure” Bucky added, going to stand next to his best friend, crossing his hand and letting the metal one glint against the neon lights. He had gotten attached to the tiny genius who had given Steve and himself not only a home; but a family.

“Hey, how’s our boy?” Always the mediator, Rhodey went to stand on the other side of the bed, dark eyes fixed on Bruce, hoping this would defuse the tension on the room.

“He will be okay in a few hours Colonel. Rest and light duty so if he tries the armour…” Bruce was going to continue, but Steve cut him with a frown.

“I’ll take care of that. He is not going to be near the workshop or the armours.”

“Please don’t let it be like the last time Rogers. That was so embarrassing” Rhodes snorted, trying to stifle a laugh, and the team got surprised when they saw Steve reddening. What was that about?

“Hey it was a legit way of keeping him off the lab. You just appeared on the wrong moment…” he shrugged, even if he was still a bit red on the ears.

“I assume you two were at the wedding” Clint said, pointing at both James who nodded, twin beaming smiles but…

“If I hadn’t made Rhodey my groomsman he would have killed me”

To their surprise, the owner of that voice was looking at Steve with tired dark brown eyes searching for any injury. Even after being the one injured on his behalf, he was worried about him. Then, it hit Steve like a train. And his blue eyes watered.

He was finally awake.

“Sweetheart, how are you feeling?” he asked, not caring now. They knew. He did not need to keep the appearances. He won’t.

“Like a truck ran over me. What happened?” he rubbed the bandages, sore and tired, but Steve grabbed his hand trying to keep him from reopening the wound.

“You put yourself between me and the blow… You idiot” Steve grasped his hand, trying to stop his mind screaming "heisokheisokheisok". Knowingly Tony gripped his hand, soft but alive.

“Your idiot” his smile, even tired and small, was pure unadulterated love, and he needed to kiss it.

Steve was careful with his lover injuries, and Tony still tired, only letting his hand rest against the nape of his neck. But they poured on the kiss the relief they felt seeing that the other was alright. 

He is alright, their hearts screamed. He is alright.

When they moved, Tony saw a golden glint against silver and realized he was seeing both rings on Steve’s neck.

Tracing them with a finger, he looked into Steve's eyes, curious. His partner blue eyes watched him for a few seconds, always mesmerized by his partners fingers...

“Why do you have my ring Steve?”

“You forgot it on the bathroom this morning. I was going to give it back after the call, but you ended up here” he said softly, eyes fixated on Tony “It feels weird having it with me… It belongs to you.”

The team smiled at the sweet display of affection, tender and loving... Tired, Tony let his forehead rest against Steve’s, closing his eyes with a tiny smile on his lips.

“Always. And don’t you dare to forget it darling"

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi at @abbied_arcy ^^ Kudos and comments are highly appreciated! <3


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